MPs Expenses in the Real World

What sort of political world are we now living in when tonight's BBC 10pm news is led by 15 minutes of reporting of MP's expenses and only then by news about the potentially devastating loss of steelworkers' jobs on Teeside at Corus and the deaths of 4 of our soldiers in Afghanistan?

There is no point in trying to blame the media for this. We all know how they work. Quite simply, some Westminster MPs - and I hope it extends across all parties - have allowed their wanton and thoughtless use of an out of date expenses system to categorise all politicians as "in it for themselves". We need to change the system, but the damage has been done.

I am active in politics because I want to make a difference. I am a Labour Party member because I want to shape a world in which the vast majority of ordinary working people can enjoy prosperous, safe and satisfying lives based on Labour values of social justice and equality of opportunity. I have put myself forward to be an MP so I can have the opportunity to represent these ideals. To make sure that defending jobs in Teeside - and wherever else they are under threat - is how we get our headlines, not defending our personal lifestyles.

I know that the same values motivated all of my Labour parliamentary colleagues when they were elected. I despair at how the fee and expenses system in Westminster is now obscuring this. Tonight, in the midst of this recession, we should be talking about saving jobs in Teeside, or why we are in Afghanistan, not the personal spending of ministers.

The independent review by the Standards Commission is desperately needed. I hope it is radical. We need to get back to real politics.